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Bill Gates Sees Philanthropy Bug Spreading

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Bill Gates Sees Philanthropy Bug Spreading

By JBrown@charities.org on April 11, 2011

Bill Gates, one of the world’s richest men and one of its best known philanthropists, said on Monday he hopes his passion for giving will soon start to take hold among the super-rich of China and India.

Speaking to Reuters in a telephone interview, the multi-billionaire Microsoft founder said he, his wife Melinda, and investor Warren Buffett plan to go to India this year to hold a meeting of the country’s richest people to encourage them into philanthropy.

The meeting will be similar to one Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffett held in China last year, where they said some of the small group of ultra-rich Chinese made some “very generous” gifts.

Mr. Buffett and Mr. Gates are urging American billionaires to give way at least half their wealth during their lifetime or upon their death by signing the Giving Pledge, which so far has 57 billionaires signed up.